Title
It’s a proverb that suggests someone trying to be too clever might end up outsmarting themselves, leading to a mistake or failure.
“I’m not,” blurted out Xu Tangzhou.
He was even a bit impressed with his own reaction.
His facial expression was well controlled, his muscles relaxed, his lips slightly parted—this was a very natural look of confusion, showing no signs of guilt, which meant the acting classes he had been taking were paying off splendidly.
If not a hundred percent, at least he would pass.
Indeed, Ling Che seemed to be lulled by such a response, momentarily unable to judge whether he was telling the truth or not.
“Then why didn’t you contact me?”
This time, Xu Tangzhou was truly surprised, a feeling known as joy spreading in his heart.
He thought… thought that Ling Che might not want to continue having any entanglements with him, but now Ling Che’s tone was clearly not much different from when they were still recording the show.
In this brief silence, Xu Tangzhou made a decision: he felt it was best to continue pretending he knew nothing, just like before.
The bolder one would be, the more one could achieve.
As long as he acted the same as before, Ling Che wouldn’t turn against him, and maybe he could not only pull the wool over his eyes but also find a way to rekindle their relationship!
“Well, I knew you were busy preparing for the concert, so I thought, maybe I shouldn’t disturb you these days.”
As he said this, Xu Tangzhou’s face felt a bit hot because it sounded like he was admitting that he had been waiting for the other party to take the initiative to contact him.
Ling Che thought about his recent schedule, his expression cleared slightly, but he still said with a bit of displeasure, “I am very busy, but you can contact me. You can call or send messages. I am busy, but it’s not impossible for me to reply to you.”
“…Oh.”
Xu Tangzhou’s earlobes turned red; this sounded like he had some sort of privilege.
“Oh?” Ling Che’s brows furrowed again, his expression as if to say “You’re not even taking the initiative to express gratitude.”
Xu Tangzhou, blessed with quick wits, immediately added, “Then, I won’t hold back in the future!”
Ling Che seemed slightly more satisfied: “Mm.”
He had been taking a nap, and now he ran his fingers through his hair, casually combing the sleep-tousled locks back, revealing a smooth forehead and a prominent nose bridge. This action was to make himself a bit more alert; he looked like he hadn’t rested properly.
Xu Tangzhou still stood at the door, somewhat at a loss for what to do.
Although he had already decided how to act, he didn’t immediately know how to behave without giving anything away to Ling Che.
But Ling Che had already approached. Due to the height difference, when he was too close, he was looking down at him slightly: “What are you daydreaming about? Aren’t you going to leave?”
The familiar scent of the other person, the deep-set features.
And those pale lips.
This caused Xu Tangzhou’s mind to explode with the sound of a high-speed train, inappropriately recalling scenes from his dreams.
These past few days, he hadn’t considered one problem: if Ling Che was his ex, then… were all those things he dreamed about real events that had happened?!
They weren’t just some fantasy figure, but his actual alpha!
Those lips had kissed him.
—The kind where lips suck on each other, and tongues lick over tongues.
“Go where?”
Xu Tangzhou said blankly, looking somewhat dazed as he came back to his senses.
Ling Che looked at him as if he were an idiot, the corners of his mouth curling slightly: “Didn’t you say we’re going to eat?”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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Ling Che wasn’t adept at cultivating interpersonal relationships, which was evident during the filming of 《Our Perfect Journey》Lu Cheng’an was older and had a good temper; otherwise, if it were someone of the same age, they would probably be on the receiving end of his sharp tongue.
But the curious thing was, Ling Che… didn’t have many friends, yet he easily made genuine ones.
On the way, Ling Che took a call. From his tone, it was clear the two were quite familiar with each other.
“I’m not coming back,” he said, “Have fun on your own. I don’t have time to accompany you.”
The person on the other end said something else, and Ling Che responded with a “Mmm” before hanging up.
He turned his head and happened to catch Xu Tangzhou looking at him.
Xu Tangzhou was merely curious.
Ling Che’s expression softened a bit and he told him, “It’s Ying Chen.”
Xu Tangzhou knew they were good friends and also knew that the houses they bought were close to each other. He was about to nod when Ling Che casually emphasized, “Just friends, nothing else.”
Xu Tangzhou: “……”
At this moment, an actor like Ying Chen would probably have a confused expression.
The two arrived at the parking lot where Situ Ya was already in the car, and Xiao An was driving.
The place they were going to eat was a private kitchen, which usually wasn’t easy to book, reserved by the producer.
The producers of 《Yufeng》and Huang Qian had already arrived ahead of time, thinking they would only meet with Huang Qian and Xu Tangzhou, but to their surprise, Situ Ya and Ling Che also came along.
Situ Ya said, “Heard we were having a meal, so I just tagged along. Hope you don’t mind.”
“How could we, how could we… we’re more than welcoming,” the producer, surnamed Lin, was very smooth and experienced, “Having a meal with Sister Ya and God Che is something people wish for. It’s my honor!”
The meeting was arranged on short notice, so Huang Qian hadn’t had the chance to inform Xu Tangzhou.
But as to why Ling Che and Situ Ya were also included, honestly, even Huang Qian was puzzled, it just somehow ended up that they all came together.
《Yufeng》was a script adapted from a game. The screenwriter was quite famous, having written many popular dramas in the past, but had retired from the scene quite early. He rarely engaged with the TV drama industry in recent years, so for his comeback, he placed particular importance on the casting of characters.
In an era where idol dramas and reality shows were all the rage, serious fantasy dramas weren’t as popular, so their investment options were limited. They couldn’t afford high-profile celebrities with hefty fees and preferred to cast newcomers or students from prestigious acting schools. If they were going to cast, they decided to go with fresh faces.
Before Xu Tangzhou recorded the show, he was asked to audition for this script, and it was the producers who had chosen him.
After the show, he suddenly gained popularity, and it turned into Huang Qian helping him choose the producers instead.
But Xu Tangzhou himself wanted to act in this drama.
So after some discussion, they decided to skip the audition, and a meeting tonight would finalize everything.
After both parties shook hands and greeted each other, they ordered dishes.
Ling Che didn’t eat much, and the others thought it was because he was putting on airs, so they didn’t dare to chat with him much.
Xu Tangzhou, on the other hand, knew that it was probably because the dishes here didn’t suit Ling Che’s taste. When it was time to order more food, Xu Tangzhou, based on his understanding of him over time, chose some dishes that Ling Che would eat.
Seeing their familiarity, Producer Lin warmed up to Xu Tangzhou a bit: “ZhouZhou’s family is from Qinan, right?”
These details were clearly written in the artists’ profiles.
Xu Tangzhou confirmed: “Yes.”
Producer Lin seemed to recall something and said, “Hey, what a coincidence. I used to know a planner, very capable, and their family is from Qinan too. They went abroad to work independently after getting divorced. Now that I think about it, you do look a bit like them when I see you in person.”
Xu Tangzhou expressed his surprise, “Are you talking about Xie Rui?”
Producer Lin paused with his chopsticks: “You know each other?”
Xu Tangzhou sat under the light, his fair and delicate face losing some of its coldness: “Xie Rui is my mother.”
No one noticed that Ling Che, who had been listlessly scrolling through his phone, paused for a moment.
Xu Tangzhou’s parents divorced?
A couple married for over a decade, their relationship had completely fallen apart in every aspect.
Xu Tangzhou’s adolescence was spent caught in the tug-of-war between them, and he could only breathe a sigh of relief when he came to the capital for the holidays each year. Since their separation, Ling Che had stopped paying attention to Xu’s family affairs. He wondered, Xie Rui actually waited until the day of divorce?
“What a coincidence!” Producer Lin became interested and started recounting amusing stories from the early years.
These were things Huang Qian didn’t know about, but Situ Ya could join in the conversation.
The meal didn’t last very long amidst the toasts and laughter. Before leaving, Producer Lin finalized the arrangements, expressing great satisfaction with Xu Tangzhou himself, ending the meeting on a harmonious note.
Ling Che didn’t say much throughout the entire meal, but Huang Qian got drunk. In no condition to leave on his own, he had to be taken away by Situ Ya, who was heading in the same direction.
“I’ll take you home.”
When Xiao An came to drive, Ling Che said.
The night breeze was cool, and Xu Tangzhou shrank his neck a little: “No need. My home is quite close here, I can just take a taxi.”
Just now, he had suspected that Ling Che was about to fall asleep.
Honestly, Ling Che didn’t seem like the type to attend this kind of dinner gathering.
Yet Ling Che opened the car door, urging, “Huang Qian isn’t here. Do you want to wander the streets alone and get photographed?”
Xu Tangzhou suddenly understood.
On their way to the meal, Xiao An had already used his excellent driving skills to shake off several paparazzi. Xu Tangzhou now had a bit of fame; someone had recognized him at the private kitchen. Although he was still relatively unknown, he had to start being mindful of his public image.
But if the paparazzi caught Ling Che dropping him off, just the two of them, an alpha and an omega, it might not look too good.
Before Xu Tangzhou could finish his internal debate, the car had already arrived at the base of his apartment building, and Ling Che had escorted him upstairs.
Xu Tangzhou opened the door, and Ling Che showed no sign of leaving: “Do you live with a friend?”
Xu Tangzhou: “Yes.”
Ling Che was wearing a coat today, tall and imposing, almost reaching the top of the door frame as he stood at his doorway.
Xu Tangzhou could only politely offer, “Would you like to come in and sit?”
Ling Che reluctantly nodded.
The two entered the apartment. With the lights brightly turned on, the small yet cozy space was fully visible. Ling Che immediately noticed the sofa that Xu Tangzhou had sat on during his live streams, with a few articles of clothing thrown on it.
Xu Tangzhou hadn’t anticipated meeting Ling Che when he left that morning, let alone bringing him back home. He hurriedly gathered the clothes, tossing them into the laundry basket, and then noticed an unwashed plate on the table.
This was a bit embarrassing, and Xu Tangzhou said with a poker face, “It must have been my friend who came back and ate here today, I’m not like this.”
It was time to sacrifice Qiu Yin.
He put the plate into the sink. When he came back, he found that Ling Che hadn’t taken a seat but was standing in front of the bookshelf, examining the medical books.
Xu Tangzhou approached, looking for a topic to chat about: “Did I ever tell you that my friend is very impressive?”
Ling Che said, “Top student, genius, the future doctor.”
Xu Tangzhou was surprised. Those words sounded very familiar, as if he had said them during his live stream a few days ago.
Right, he and Ling Che followed each other, and there would be a notification on Flow when he started a broadcast.
Could it be that Ling Che watched his live stream?
Ling Che then coolly asked, “How many years have you lived with him?”
Thinking that Ling Che had seen how he was during his live streams made Xu Tangzhou feel a bit embarrassed, a mix of shyness and palpitations in his heart. He could only follow the topic and chat, “Four years, but he’s away at least twenty days a month.”
Ling Che turned around and suddenly stepped forward.
Xu Tangzhou felt an intense pressure and involuntarily stepped back, ending up leaning against the bookshelf.
Ling Che’s hand was still in his coat pocket as he arrogantly lowered his head and lightly sniffed at Xu Tangzhou’s neck.
There was no scent of another alpha. Since entering the house, Ling Che hadn’t detected the smell of any alpha, which seemed to confirm that Xu Tangzhou was telling the truth. That his friend really was often absent. Moreover, their relationship probably wasn’t what he had been worried about.
But Ling Che was still displeased.
He had been irritable for several days, and seeing Xu Tangzhou hadn’t done much to soothe him.
Xu Tangzhou just thought he was checking for a temporary mark.
His heart was racing, and his glands also started to pulsate as he heard Ling Che ask, “My clothes… you’re not planning to return them to me?”
Xu Tangzhou’s face instantly flushed red. He thought Ling Che hadn’t noticed.
Indeed, among the clothes on the sofa earlier, one was Ling Che’s coat—used to cover him up when they were chased by paparazzi after the annual party.
These past few days, Xu Tangzhou had been wearing that coat at home, but the reason was solely because Qiu Yin mentioned that to avoid medication for pheromone sensitivity, one should get accustomed to the other person’s scent through their belongings.
He indeed had no intention of returning it. It was just a piece of clothing, why was Ling Che being so petty?
“I forgot,” Xu Tangzhou lied without blinking, “I was planning to wash it before returning it to you.”
“It’s okay,” Ling Che said instead, “If you want it that much, I’ll just give it to you. I have another one just like it.”
The warm breath sprayed on his neck, as if he was about to bite down.
Xu Tangzhou felt a bit dizzy in the pleasant scent of the pheromones.
During these days of reflection, he had come to a conclusion. Those bubbling palpitations finally broke the surface at this moment.
Xu Tangzhou opened his mouth, mustering the courage to take the first step: “Ling Che… we’re friends now, right?”
As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Tangzhou felt the invisible shackles in front of him disappear.
Ling Che had already looked up, frowning: “What do you mean?”
“I think we’re already friends.” Xu Tangzhou felt guilty, as he was making his own calculations, trying to achieve his goal indirectly, “If we’re friends, then we could meet up when we’re not recording shows or working, just like we are now.”
The irritation that had not yet subsided in Ling Che surged up again.
After a few seconds, he realized something and said darkly, “Xu Tangzhou, what do you think I’m doing tonight?”
When Qiu Yin came back, Xu Tangzhou was sitting in the living room, lost in thought.
As Qiu Yin took off his coat, he said, “When I was coming upstairs just now, I ran into an alpha wearing a mask, looking really irritable and walking very fast! Right, he was quite tall, and his eyes and eyebrows looked a bit like that Ling Che, but it was too dark to see clearly.”
There was a scent of an alpha in the house, which Qiu Yin couldn’t identify. It wasn’t like the ordinary discernible pheromones, but rather like an S-class abstract scent.
He was somewhat baffled: “Zhouzhou, who has been here?”
Xu Tangzhou said, “Seems like a romantic partner.”
Qiu Yin, hanging up his coat, finally realized something was amiss: “Wait a minute, you have a romantic partner? How come I don’t know about this?!”
Xu Tangzhou, feeling utterly disheartened, had a face as cold as ice: “I don’t know either!”
Marachne:
For some reason, as if an invisible force, wants me to post a chapter looks back, looks around
Well, as I have said the previous chapter, I’ll still post two chapters on Wednesday \o/
Anyway… Zhouzhou!! Aiyoo! I am too speechless, Zhouzhou. Zhouzhou aaaahhh!
Such a welcome surprise! Thanks for the chapter!! Ahahaha I really wanna know what just happened before ling che went home because zaizai is justtt clueless I can’ttt
(^～^;)ゞ Hehehe… Well, it’ll be a bit of a pleasant surprise on Wednesday. Since there are two more chapters before the beginning of Volume 3, I’ll work harder 🏃
thanks for the chapter it really is a delight to read it omw to school!! 🥹
Thank You for the new chapter ٩(*ゝڡ◕๑)۶♥